Prayers for the DyingJewish | Native American | Pagan/Wiccan | Spiritual | Tibetan 
When we get closer to death, we have a tendency to remember our childhood faith and our childhood prayers. We often still know them by heart. These words learned so early and easily.Or we might have found a new faith. A deeper belief with different words. Different prayers. New words of consolation. Of hope. Of redemption. Of peace and ease. What matters not is what religion brought forth these words of solace. What matter is that prayers for the dying bring us comfort in times of need. That they bring us solace at the end of life. That they lift up our spirits even in dire circumstances. That they soothe our spirits, calm our hearts and show us the way home. 
What is prayer?To me praying is the opportunity to connect. To connect with all that is larger than me. May it be called Allah, God, Goddess, Yahweh, Brahma, Nature, Source, Spirit or any other name.To connect with myself and be present. To become still within me. To let words of comfort or entreaty or gratitude bring me both joy and solace. And maybe a moment of rest from the busy world around me. Here is what others have said, answering the question: What is prayer? Prayer without Ceasing ...my grandfather came... I asked him a question, "What if God blinks?" It was the only time that I've ever seen him angry. What he said was, "Nischuma-la" (and by the way, for many years I thought "Nischuma-la" meant "Little Naomi" - it actually means "Little Beloved Soul"). He said, "Nischuma-la, if you wake up at night, would you know if you were alone in the house? Would you know if Mom and Dad had gone out to the movies if you wake up in the dark at night?" And I said, "Sure!" Then he said, "How would you know that you weren't alone in the house? Would you see them and look at them?" I said, "No." He said, "Would you hear them? Is that how you'd know?" I said, "No." He said, "Would they talk to you? Is that how you would know?" I said, "No," and I remember thinking, "How odd. He's asking stupid questions like a grown-up," because my grandfather never did that. I said with irritation, "No - I would just know. I would just know that I wasn't alone in the house." My grandfather smiled at me with great love and said, "Good. That's how God knows you're there. He doesn't need to look at you. And that's how you know that God is there. You just know." In remembering this, I realized for the first time that perhaps this was what prayer was - that knowing. That's how you pray, by that knowing. You know that God is there and you're not alone in the house.
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Prayers for the Dying Have Many VoicesI am offering prayers for the dying from a variety of religions and faiths on the following web pages. We have such a rich cultural heritage of comforting prayers for the dying. I have organized the various religions and faiths in alphabetical order.African Prayers for the Dying: We Africans carry in our heritage the cradle of humanity. We carry the deep sorrows of slavery. We carry the suffering of AIDS leaving whole villages of only children. We are living on the dark continent with yet so much light. In our African prayers. In our dances. In our stories. In our living. In our dying. Click here for African Prayers Buddhist/Taoist Prayers for the Dying: We believe in rebirth and reincarnation. We know ourselves part of the wheel. The wheel of life. Turning and turning. Until we are complete and enter into Nirvana. Many of us do not get off the wheel until everyone has done so. As our service to humanity. Click here for Buddhist Prayers Christian Prayers for the Dying: As Christians we believe in the redeeming power of love. Christian Prayers are one way to access that love. It is available to us at any time in our lives. No matter how dark our path has been. No matter how far we have strayed. Click here for Christian Prayers Hindu Prayers for the Dying: As Hindus we have this amazing wealth of deities to ask for support. We have a heritage of spiritual stories that date back thousands of years. We have a strong and cultivated belief in reincarnation. And we have integrated death and dying into our daily existence. Click here for Hindu Prayers Islamic/Sufi Prayers for the Dying: As Muslims we know ourselves guided by Allah who loves to be revealed in the desert. To make it easier for us to know Allah. So that we are not distracted by the rest of this splendid creation. Click here for Islamic Prayers Jewish Prayers for the Dying: As Jews we have been blessed with a direct personal connection to God for thousands of years. We have been able to hear Yahweh and speak to him in person. When our faith was strong enough. When our need was strong enough. Click here for Jewish Prayers Native American Prayers for the Dying: We Native Americans, or First Nations People, have a long tradition of knowing ourselves fully connected to the elements around us. We come from you. We are part of you. We return to you. Click here for Native American Prayers Pagan and Wiccan Prayers for the Dying: Just as the seasons change, so do our bodies change. Dying for us is part of these seasonal changes. We know that rebirth follows death. Just look at spring bringing back its beauty after the emptiness of winter. Year after year. Without fail. Click here for Pagan and Wiccan Prayers Spiritual Prayers for the Dying: Those of us who have found our very own path to Spirit, Source, God, All That Is often have a very private way of connecting to that which is larger than us. The term "spiritual" here is a catch all term for a wide range of highly individualized and often personal ways of connecting to the Divine. Click here for Spiritual Prayers Tibetan Prayers for the Dying: As Tibetan Buddhists our basic spiritual goal is to strive for enlightenment. That way we can better help others attain the same state of freedom we have achieved. Freedom from heavy emotions. Freedom from being born again and again to the yoke of karma, the consequences of our actions. Click here for Tibetan Prayers
Video Describing the Charter of Compassion
If you are looking for more prayers from all over the world, please visit World Prayers: Gathering the great prayers from all spiritual traditions around the world into a unified nonprofit archive; for the purpose of inspiration, study and cross cultural appreciation. To visit their site, click on the image to the left of this text. Video of Celine Dion and Josh Groban singing "The Prayer"Here are a few verses of the lyrics to "The Prayer" (for the complete lyrics click here). They were written by David Foster & Carol Bayer Sega.
Do you have prayer for the dying to add? One that you have used? One that has helped you and loved ones? Share it! Prayers for the Dying by Other ContributorsClick below to see contributions from others to this page...
A Prayer for Those Returning to the Eternal Mother
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First grade teaching on birth and being with God.
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New Address
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